Instrument for removing the hides or skins from carcasses of cattle sheep, or other animals.



H. M. ASHTON. INSTRUMENT FOR REMOVING THE HIDES OR SKINS FROM CARGASSES 0F CATTLE, SHEEP,

OR OTHER ANIMALS.

APPLICATION FILED MAR. 31, 1914.

Patented Sept. 15, 1914.

UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

HARRY MOSS ASHTON, 0F COBURG, VICTORIA. AUSTRALIA.

Z INSTRUMENT FOR REMOVING THE HIDES OR SKINS FROM CARCASSES OF CATTLE,

SHEEP, OR OTHER ANIMALS.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented Sept. 15, 1914.

Application filed March 31. 1914. Serial No. 828,459

- description of the invention such as will enable others skilled in the art to which .it. a ppertains tomake and use the same.

This invention has been devised to provide an instrument; embodying improved means whereby the skins or hides of animals may be removed from the carcasses by butchers or other persons more eiiiciently and economically than by the means at present in use. \Vhere my invention is used in the skinning process the hides will be found to be freer from cuts or scores or abrasions which at present result from the employment of a knife in the ordinary way. The meat upon the carcass will also be found to be free from the cuts and disfiguring marks caused by the slipping of the knife under the present conditions of skinning.

In-order that my invention may be the more easily understood, reference may be made to the accompanying drawings, in which- Figure 1 shows a front elevation of my improvedinstrument, a cap-piece (shown in. Fig.7} having been removed for clearness of illustration. Fig. '2 is a back elevationoi the same instrument. Fig. 3 illustrates the interior of the machine viewed from the back. the back cover and comb having been removed. Fig. 4 shows the interior oi the said back cover and Fig. 5 the interior of the said back comb. both of which parts are shown in theirproper position in Fig. 2. Fig. (3 is an enlarged vertical section on the line l2 on Fig. l, and shows the cap piece (Fig. T) in position. Fig. 7 is the cap piece aforesaid and which has been !*'-l!lfi\'i%(l from Fig. l to permit of some of th parts being more easily seen. whilewiugs H a hollow handle f of almninium and having .e! at upper portion a. 'mwuug'h the ventcr of this handle the end tesa sharpening device, hereof which a toothed beveled pinion b is set. The upper portiona. of'the handle a; is surmounted and surrounded by a block 0 which is fixed to the front curved plate 0 and forms a holding base therefor. This block has a vertical split beneath the two screws r;'-' so that upon the latter being tightened the curved plate 0 can be set in the same plane with the flattened handle a. Mounted upon this block 0 and at the top thereof are two side screws a plate a? (see Fig. 7 in position so as to of a iiexible shaft 6 revolves and on the top (Z for holding cover the toothed pinion b and prevent hair -or other matters from v getting therein, the said side screws (I being received in the slots a (Fig. 7). The cap piece (I is shown fitted in posit-ion on Fig. 6. Upon the curved front plate 0 is mounted a holding plate 6 the latter being held in position by screws 6 In the holding plate-e a plug 2 is arranged for operation by the thumb of the person holding the instrument. The plug 12 (see Figs. 1 and ,8) has a squared plate e at itsbase which works in a recess e in the inner'portion of the holding plate 6 the squared part a preventing any circular movement on the part of the plug 6 but allowing an inward and outward movementtherefor.

' A coiled spring a round.the continuing shank e of the said plug This shank e is constructed of hard steel and the bottom faces at 6 thereof are cut diagonally so that in operation one of the said faces will meet the edges of the revolving knives hereinafter to be referred to. i i

is employed to sur- In the front curved plate c a steel disk plate f is inset, the latter having thereon an inwardly projecting-collar f in which is a ball race. its center being shaped to receive an inner disk plate f forming the corresponding member for the ball race aforesaid. The inner disk plate f is screw-threaded at its center to receive an adjustable screwthreaded. thiinble the thimble being pro vided with a cone edge 1 to form a ball race to enable the said thimble to revolve upon such ball track. At the outer end of the said thimble a small key g (see Figs. 3 and .6) is provided which enters a keyway upon a gun metal circular plate It the saidplate being kept to the thimble by a screw nutk see Fig. 3). The internal steel disk plate f squared ripheral line is performed bymoving them in the slot if, a countersunk screw 2 pro-- vided with a washer i ;,-engaging in the plate lzl enabling each knife to be respectively fixed in its set position to the true cutting circumferential line. r

,I It will be noticedthat the plate 'ii is thick.- ened at if .(see Fig: 6) so as to strengthen ..sa1ne and provide sutficient metal for the thread of screws i and'depth of slot if. A corresponding channelc is provided; in the formation of the plate .0 to enable the thick-. ened part htt to revolve therein without touching... v

'The inner end of the thimble 9 contains a nipple piece on which a bevel gear pinion l is screwed, the said pinion engaging with that marked 6 previously mentioned.-

Passing through the center. of the thimble on. whichzthe bevel pinion Z is mounted and through the front screw h is a set bolt m provided with a lock nut and having a screw driver head m The end of the said-bolt m is rounded and hardened so that it'will bear 'With aslittle friction as. possible on a similarly hardened steel plate disk n placed in an annular recess in the back plate k, (see Figs. 4: and 6) and it will be seen that :bya slight revolution, upon the bolt head magi proper adjustment of. pressure or set can be given tothe centerv of the back plate 70, so

that. while the latterholds the re'volvable.

, circular serrated plateobehind the rim of Figs. 4: and 5) so that when the back plate kthe disk 79 the plate p kept from touching the rotating knives f 0 is a circular'gun m' tal plate (see Fig.

5) the edge of which is serrated with teeth. ,0 and has a circular opening 0 cut out therein. The plate "0 ;is :intended to lie lcosel in front of the, revolving knives i it' being free to slowly revolve behind the outer periphery p lot a disk 79 (seeFigs-d and. 5). This disk has aninwardly projecting collar 32 upon it in which are three threaded per- ;foration s p to enable it to be held to the backplate k by three corresponding screws k j" I Reverting to the inne'rfside of the front curved plate 0 (see Fig. 3) a flanged extension 0* is formed in which is a tagper cut groove 0 and three threaded holes 0 This tapered groom is sized to correspond with and receive the curved tapered rib 7; (see is placed in'position and the screw bolts 0 "are mounted the the purpose.

skinning function. i From time to time, atth discretion of the tightened, the rib forms a tight hold in' the groove It will be understood thatafter this back platef'lc' has bee'n firmly fixed,

the action of a screw driver upon the screwed head m see Fig. 1) will cause the.

bolt m (see Fig. 6) to press. the hardened steel disk a so that the back plate 7:: will perniit the serrated plate'o to rotate in either direction that its teeth may bepressed.

. 1 The cap piece alshown in F ig. 7 is in practice kept in the position shown in'Fig. 6,.the screws 0 (see Fig. 1) being tightened for v operation when the flexible. shaft revolves and turns the toothed pinion b revolution is given to the pinion}, the thimble g and the plate h, the latter carrying with it the adjusted'kni'ves z with the outer edges i in'a. highly sharpened condition. the machine being grasped by the handle is pressed edgeivise; and moved upwardly against'the skin of the belly of the-dead animal as it hangs in its-supports and While the operator with one hand keeps; the; skin-away to one side the instrument is introduced between the skin-and the body-with the other'han d, the rotating knive's' slicing or:; cutting through the fell matter existing between the" skin and the fleshy body,-so the ';vvliole .carcas s plate c'form a guide to keeptheskinaway from the body, the serratedplate 0 moving automatically in a non-frictional direction against the surfaces itv touches during the operator, a little pressure may beapplied by histhumb upon the head of the plug- 0 .(see Figs.- 1, 3; and 8) This action will bring for- .ward one of the face'setof 'the sharpening device which will meet the end ortion of z at '5 and sharpen same. It Will seen .that

, i by this imp'ortantdeviceit will not benecesi sary to take the machinetopieces in order to sharpen the knives 2'.

I wouldhave it understood that do v not arbitrarily confine myself to the employmerit ofa steel plug or-shank such as e't, but" reserve to myself thei-rightto employ any similar means which will embody a frietional or suitable sharpening medium to meet the edge 2' same. p p

I claim as my invention:

1. In a tool of the kind described, the combination-with a handle and revoluble'shaft passing therethrongh, of a front member attached to the handle. a revoluble plate mounted to turn in the front member, knives adjustable to position adjacent the periphery of the revoluble plate, means for turning the said rev'oluble plate from the shaft passing of e the knive 3 d sharpen through the handle, a back member connected to the said front member, a disk'having a serrated edge mounted to turn freely in the said back member and adapted to co-act with the ed e of the front member to form a guide for the tool in the use of the same, and means for adjusting the back member and revoluble disk mounted thereon to position relatively to the front member and revoluble plate.

2. In a tool of the kind described, the combination with a handle and a revoluble shaft passing therethrough, of a front member attached to the handle, an annular plate, a

' thimble secured to the annular plate, the

said annular plate and thimble being mounted to turn in the said front plate, a knife plate secured to the said thimble and adapted to turn therewith, knives attached to the said knife plate adjacent its periphery,

, means for turning the said annular plate,

'*' thimble and knife ilate from the shaft passing throu h the said handle, a back member, and a dlSi having a serrated edge mounted to turn freely in the said back member and adapted to co-act With the edge of the front member to form a guide for the tool in the use thereof.

3. In a tool of the kind described, the combination with a handle and a revoluble shaft passing therethrough, of a front member attached to the handle, an annular plate, a thimble secured to the annular plate, the said annular plate and thimble being mounted to turn in the said front plate, a knife plate secured to the said thimble and adapted to turn therewith, knives attached to the said knife plate ad acent its periphery a gear connection between the said thimble and the said shaft passing through the said handle, a back member, a disk having a serrated ed e mounted to turn freely in the said back member, and adapted to co-act with the edge of the front member to form a guide for the tool, and a pin passing through the said thimble, adjustable therein, and bearin against a portion of the said back mem er to determine the position thereof and the said disk mounted therein relative to the said front member and knife plate.

In testimony whereof I have signed my name to this specification in the presence of two subscribing witnesses.--

HARRY MOSS ASHTON.

Witnesses:

Amer. Harman, FLORENCE SINCLAIR.

Copies of this patent may be obtained or five cents each, by addressing the "Commissioner of Patents,

Washington, 13.0." 

